Over the years we have cleaned, conserved, and repaired hundreds of historic christening dresses. Each one is different, short or long, tiered or sheer, embroidered or laced, pleated or smocked – each with its own family stories. Most have very yellowed ‘bib’ areas from sweet milky spittle, and often a host of rips and tears…..it seems that no matter how big the babe is, parents must squeeze the wee one into the family gown.
In the galleries that follow, you can see some of the typical stitch repairs to these gossamer voile dresses…
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- Close up of hole damage, before…
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- …and after.
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- Shoulder damage before repair…
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- …and after.
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- Before
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- After
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- Ruffle detail, showing acidic stains
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- Ruffle, after restoration
Gowns are photographed, often wet cleaned to remove any ‘sugar’ stains from milk or parents’ champagne, and the dark yellow brown discoloration from acids.
Painting by Michael Ancher, c 1885. Ribe Kunst Museum.
Recently, I was in Denmark for the ICOM CC Triennial Congress, where I stumbled upon this precious painting of a christening. I’ve never seen a painting of a christening, much less one with such exquisite detail of the gown, showing the tactility of the white cotton, as well as the significance and tenderness of the ceremony. Here, in a sparse 19th c Danish Lutheran church, a small group of loved ones gathers around the child. The painter makes the glimmering white dress the center of the canvas, accentuated by the visual pause between the child and the minister.
Like a mirror, this painting reinforces the importance of my preservation work.
painting by P. Ilsted, 19th c.
Perhaps the baby in Ancher’s painting above grew up into this darling little girl, stitching by the window…
